Q&A with Alaska Senate District N candidate Stephen Wright

The Alaska Beacon asked Alaska’s legislative candidates to answer a 15-question survey about their positions on a variety of issues. Read all of their responses here. Answers have not been edited.

Stephen Wright, Republican candidate from Wasilla

Yes/No questions

The Alaska Constitution allows legislators to call a constitutional convention at any time. Are you interested in calling a convention?

Yes

Would you be willing to join a coalition majority in which the opposite political party controls a majority of seats?

No

Should new public employees have access to a pension?

No

Should the state take over the federal permitting process that regulates construction in wetlands?

Yes

Should Juneteenth be a state holiday?

No

Open-ended questions

How should the state of Alaska set the amount of the Permanent Fund dividend each year?

Average earnings as traditionally calculated based on the Hammond 50-50 plan

What’s the biggest need in your district, and how would you address it?

Full PFD, repeal SB26 and eradicate the faulty POMV bill from the legislature.

What policies and laws should Alaska follow with regard to abortion?

The republican platform I support is life at conception till natural death. We are done with the death culture on the left. Protect all life as abundantly as we protect our freedom to live it. Time to stand for the unborn and we have the medical technology to save life at all stages of life.

How should the state reduce the threat of gun violence and mass shootings?

Remove any gun free zones and protect the right to carry and it shall not be infringed.

How much should a legislator’s faith or religion determine state law and policy?

Faith is the core of your being it is the best way to represent your religion is to serve and let a spirit service resonate in our legislature to be the best Christian you can be.

What should the state do to improve retention of public employees, including teachers?

Provide a similar plan that is used in the military and in other federal services that stream line and allow for pensions that are invested by both the state and the public employee. When we invest in our private economy we win, and when we win, we all win. 401K investment matching and tools like the Thrift Savings Plan used in the military. We have to have cost effective plans that motivate and prevents stagnation in our government.

What does an ideal state ferry system look like?

Fast Ferries that are lean and used between hard roads. Roads that can be built in Southeast Alaska. The Juneau Access and Ketchikan Access roads are examples that might be used some day. We can reduce the distance required and provide efficient vehicles to go between the communities. Ideal is low cost and regularly scheduled travel delivering people goods and services that can be combined on a system that looks like a ferry but feels like a cruise. You can get access to the Casiar and build out a better infrastructure then you will succeed. Seasonal ferry’s may be required until we can have a better system to serve the people. Put the mail contracts on it and reduce the trips based on the seasonal use or requirements. Build roads in the Tongass and then restore logging and you will see the demand for the ferry increase. An ideal ferry system is one that is used and efficient.

What, if any, changes does the state need to make to ensure voting is equitable and secure?

Get rid of mail in balloting, clean up the roles. Make a Voting Holliday for November Elections. Get rid of confusing ballot measures that bring us confusing laws. Require absentee ballots arrive on the Election Day. Even if you have to move ballot final dates. Free and fair elections with shorter unperson voting is the best way to eliminate cheating and harvesting of ballots which is the focus of dark money.

What do you intend to do about the poor returns of salmon in the Yukon and Kuskokwim drainages, and what are the main causes of the problems?

Look at historical data, empower the fisheries and see what’s happening in the huge returns we are having in other fisheries. Get the federal regulations out of the way and let Alaskans manage their resources as the federal folks are not as versed in our environment and how we can build and mine and drill successfully. We have the best private sector in the world and they need our minerals and resources as we have the best quality materials and resources in the world.

What constitutional amendments, if any, do you support?

Repealing Abortion, Replacing the way judges are picked. Putting the PFD Hammond 50-50 five year average in the constitution and protect it from the raid from other commercial interest from the people in California and Washington and Oregon who want us to be a National park instead of the envy of the world with the cleanest resources that are mined seasonally or safely extracted while the ground is frozen. What better opportunities do we have to push back agains the tyrants in the federal government that allow our land to be burned by fire, because of miss management and the lack of infrastructure we need to develop, build and secure our land as it need to be to provide for a Maximum benefit for all Alaskans by allowing the private sector to be great again.